Briefs: USA women claim World Cup title
The USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team won its second straight FINA World Cup title with a 10-6 victory over Australia Sunday at Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
Annika Dries (Laguna Beach High/Stanford) of Laguna Beach scored three goals during the tournament. She scored once in Team USA’s tournament-opening 18-1 victory over South Africa in group play Aug. 12, and twice in a 24-0 quarterfinal rout Aug. 15 over Singapore.
Team USA also defeated China, 11-4, in the semifinals, and in group play beat South Africa, Australia (8-6) and Hungary (15-10).
The U.S. women’s team has now won three World Cup titles, the first coming in 1979.
2014 USA Women’s FINA World Cup roster (hometown/school): Annika Dries (center, Laguna Beach/Stanford); Alys Williams (defender, Huntington Beach/UCLA); Sami Hill (goalie, Santa Barbara/UCLA); Ashleigh Johnson (goalie, Miami, Fla./Princeton); Kami Craig (center, Santa Barbara/USC); Melissa Seidemann (defender, Walnut Creek/Stanford); KK Clark (defender, Menlo Park/UCLA); Maggie Steffens (attacker, Danville/Stanford); Kiley Neushul (attacker, Goleta/Stanford); Rachel Fattal (attacker, Seal Beach/UCLA); Jillian Kraus (attacker, Santa Ana/UCLA); Kaleigh Gilchrist (attacker, Newport Beach/USC); Courtney Mathewson (attacker, Anaheim Hills/UCLA). Head Coach: Adam Krikorian.
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Nolan McConnell (Laguna Beach High/Long Beach St.) of Laguna Beach scored once Wednesday and the USA Water Polo Men’s Senior National Team won its second game at the FINA World Cup with an 11-7 victory over Montenegro at Almaty, Kazakhstan.
McConnell was one of five players to score once for Team USA which improved to 2-0 in group play.
In its tournament opener Tuesday, Team USA routed South Africa, 19-1.
The U.S. completed group play Thursday. The tournament runs through Sunday .
2014 USA Men’s FINA World Cup roster (hometown/school): Nolan McConnell (attacker, Laguna Beach/Long Beach St.); Bret Bonanni (attacker, Huntington Beach, Stanford); McQuin Baron (goalie, North Tustin/Mater Dei High); Merrill Moses (goalie, Palos Verdes/Pepperdine); Conner Cleary (defender, Goleta/Stanford); Alex Obert (center, Stockton/Pacific); Alex Bowen (attacker Santee/Stanford); Josh Samuels (attacker, Villa Park/UCLA); Michael Rosenthal (attacker, Miami, Fla./USC); John Mann (center Newport Beach/California); Luca Cupido (attacker, Newport Beach/Newport Harbor High); Jesse Smith utility, (Coronado/Pepperdine); Ryder Roberts (attacker, Vista/UCLA); Head Coach: Dejan Udovicic.
— From staff reports